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Conf  Pam  12mo  #793 

DTTDS71Sfll 

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■ 


No.  57. 

THERE  IS  ROOM  FOR  YOU, 


Ann  T was  an  intelligent  and  affectionate  girl   about 

seventeen  years  of  age,  and  had  enjoyed  nil  the  advantage^ 
of  pious  parentage  and  education.  She  had 'attended  the 
Sabbath-school  from  a  very  early  period,  and  had  become 
well  acquainted  with  the  leading Ainthfl  ot  the  Bible,  but  had 
never  felt  their  power  in  her  heart.  This  fact  was  a  cause  of 
much  anxiety  to  her  Christian  friends,  who  constantly  pray- 
ed God  to  awaken  her  slumbering  conscience,  and  to  change 
her  heart  by  the  influence  of  his  Holy  Spirit. 

For  a  long  time  these  prayers  remained  unanswered  ;  but 
at  length  Ann  seemed  seriously  impressed  with  the  impor- 
tance of  spiritual  things.  Her  friends  noticed  that  she  had 
much,  trouble  and  uneasiness  in  her  mind,  and  yet  when  they 
spoke  to  her  about  her  soul,  she  only  shook  ;her  head,  or 
else  she  would  burst  into  tears  and  say  it  was  of  no  use  to 
talk  to  her,  for  they  could  do  her  no  good.  Often  did  her 
friends  point  her  to  Jesus,  as  one  who  could  relieve  her  of  all 
her  distress;  but  she  could  not  be  brought  to  look  to  him  as 
her  ISaviour.  She  used  even  to  declare  sometimes  that  it  wa3 
impossible  for  her  ever  to  be  saved. 

One  Sabbath  evening  her  minister  preached  from  Luke  14  ; 
22 :  "And  the  servant  said,  Lord,  it  is  done  as  thou  hast  com- 
manded, and  yet  there  is  room."  He  explained  in  a  very 
impressive  manner  that  there  was  room  for  every  sinner  in 


God's  infinite  mercy,  in  the  Saviour's  loving  heart,  in  the 
regenerating  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  church  of  the 
redeemed  on  earth,  and  in  the  glorious  kingdom  of  God  in 
heaven.  He  appealed  to  all  his  unconverted  hearers  to  be- 
lieve these  good  tidings,  and  to  come  at  once  to  their  merciful 
Father  by  the  only  way  which  was  opened  to  tliem,  through 
the  merits  of  the  crucified  Redeemer.  And  he  showed  clear- 
ly from  the  Bible,  that  no  one  need  deem  himseli  top  poor  or 
too  sinful,  or  too  insignificant  to  become  a  sharer  in  the  bene- 
fits of  Christ's  sacrifice.  Many  were  melted  to  tears  by  this 
discourse  ;  but  Ann  was  not  among  the  number.  She  seemed 
to  have  wrapped  herself  up  in  her  own  persuasion,  that  sal- 
vation was  not  for  her;  and  when  the  service  was  over,  she 
left  the  church  in  her  usual  silent  and  unhappy  mood.   ♦But 

Miss  P ,  a  Sabbath-sehool  teacher,  met   her  at  the   door, 

and  observing  that  she  was  alone,  took  advantage  of  the  op- 
portunity to  speak  to  her  on  the  state  of  her  mind,  and  to 
walk  home  with  her. 

Miss  P.  I  am  glad  to  meet  you,  Ann ;  as  I  listened  to  the 
sermon,  I  could  not  help  thinking  that  it  was  specially  ad- 
dressed to  you. 

Ann.  Tome?  I  wish  I  could  think  so ;  but  there  is  no 
room  for  me,  I  fear. 

Miss  P.  Why  so?  Have  you  any  reason  for  thinking  this 
bitter  thought  concerning  yourself?  If  you  have,  tell  me 
what  it  is. 

Ann.  I  cannot.  I  had  rather  not  talk  about  it  at  all;  I 
don't  think  I  ever  can  be  saved. 

Miss  P.  My  dear  girl,  others  besides  you  have  been  ready 
to  say,  "I  am  sure  1  can  never  be  saved."  I  dare  say  you 
have  found  out  that  your  heart  is  much  worse  than  you  had 
ever  suspected,  and  you  do  not  see  how  you  can  possibly 
make  it  better.  Am  I  right  in  supposing  this  to  be  one 
cause  of  your  trouble? 

Ann.  Yes,  partly. 

Miss  P.  There  may  be  other  causes  too.  The  remembrance 
of  broken  resolutions,  perhaps,   adds  to  your  distress,    and 


makes  you  doubt  whether  any  new  ones   you   might  make 
would  be  kept  any  better.     Is  it  not  so* 

Ann.  Oh,  Miss  P ,  pray  don't  talk  about  good  resolu- 
tions; I  wish  I  had  never  made  one,  for  it  is  impossible,  for 
me  to  keep  them. 

Miss  P.  Perhaps  you  feel  that  because  of  these  broken  re- 
solutions, God  is  more  angry  with  you  than  e7er? 

Ann.  I  feel  as  though  I  dare^ot  lift  up  my  face  to  God, 
after  resolving  so  often  to  please  him  and  always  failing. 
But  pray  do  not  talk  any  more  about  this,  I  cannot  bear  it. 
It  makes  it  plainer  than  ever  that  I  cannot  hope  to  be  saved. 
Miss  P.  You  have  prayed  to  God  perhaps,  and  tried  .as 
you  think,  all  the  means  prescribed  in  the  Bible  for  the  re- 
lief of  conscience-stricken  sinners.  You  have  tried  to  repent, 
tried  to  believe,  tried  to  reform,  and  yet  your  soul  is  as  dark 
and  as  troubled  as  ever.  You  cannot  discover  that  one 
answer  has  ever  been  given  to  your  prayers.  Your  heart 
seems  as  hard  and  sinful  as  when  you  began  to  pray.  There 
is  no  change  for  the  better  in  any  thing.  You  are  almost 
persuaded  that  praying  for  pardon  and  peace  is  useless.  Is 
it  not  so  ? 

Ann.  Yes,  but  even  that  is  not  the  worst. 
Miss  P.  Do  you  fear  that  Christ  will  not  receive  you? 
Ann.  My  own  heart  tells  me  so. 

Miss  P.  Your  own  heart  is  "deceitful  above  all  things." 
Jer.  17:  9.  It  is  often  in  league  with  Satan,  who  sometimes 
tries  to  ruin  us  by  undue  confidence,  and  sometimes  by  un- 
warranted despair.  Therefore  we  can  never  rely  upon  the 
assertions  of  our  own  hearts,  unless  they  are  also  supported 
by  the  Bible.  Your  duty  is  to  listen  to  the  solemn  invita- 
tions of  the  gospel :  "Whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water 
of  life  freely."  Pev.  22:  17.  "Him  that  cometh  to  me  I 
will  in  no  wise  cast  out.''  John  6:37.  "Give  diligence  to 
make  your  calling  and  election  sure."  2  Peter  1 :  10.  Now 
let  me  put  to  you  a  simple  but  a  very  solemn  question.  Aro 
you  called  to  repentance  and  faith?  Do  you  feel  withia  you  the 
workings  of  a  sincere  sorrow  for  sin,  an  earnest  desire  after 
salvation,  some  love  to  Him  who  ditd   for  \\\e  sins   of'th* 


world,  and  an  intense  longing  to  become  a  sharer  in  the 
benefits  of  his  sacrifice  ?  If  you  do  experience  these  feelings, 
Ihey  are  an  evidence  of  the  reality  of  God's  work  within  you. 
Who  do  you  think  first  awoke  them  within  you?  Must  it 
not  have  been  God's  Holy  Spirit?  And  is  it  likely  that  he 
would  arouse  and  convince  yon  if  it  were,  as  you  suppose  it 
is,  impossible  for  you  ever  to  be  saved? 

Ann.  It  would  be  wrong  to  Charge  God  with  so  dealing 
with  any  one. 

Miss  P.  An  inquirer  once  came  to  Jesus  with  a  difficulty 
very  much  like  yours.  "Lord,"  said  he,  "are  there  few  that 
be  sayed  ?"  And  how  did  the  Saviour  meet  his  question? 
He  told  him  nothing  about  the  number  of  those  who  should 
be  saved,  whether  they  were  many  or  few;  but  said,  "Strife 
to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate."  Luke  13 :  23,  24.  Do  not 
stand  outside,  asking  questions  and  raising  doubts,  but  enter 
the  gate  of  mercy. 

Ann.  You  said  just  now  that  there  ore  a  great  many  pass- 
ages in  the  Bible  in  which  all  sinners  are  invited  to  come  to 
Christ.     Will  you  tell  me  some  more  of  these? 

Miss  P.  Yes,  indeed  I  will.  There  is  Isa.  55:  1,  which 
runs  thus:  "Ho,  everyone  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 
waters."  There  is  John  3  :  15,  wherje  it  is  said  that  "who- 
soever believeth  in  Christ  shall  not  perish,  but  '.have  eternal 
life."  There  is  Matt.  11:  28,  where  Jesus  says,  "Comeunto 
me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy-laden,  and  I  will  give 
you  rest."  There  is  1  John  2:  2,  where  we  are  expressly 
assured  that  Jesus  Christ  is  "the  propitiation  for  our  sins  ; 
and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the  .sins  of  the  whole  world." 
There  is  Heb.  7:  25,  where  Paul  tells  us  that  Jesus  "is  able' 
to  save  them  to  the  uttermost,  that  come  unto  God  by  him." 
There  is  1  Tim.  1:  15,  where  we  learn  that  "Christ  Jesus 
came  into  the  world  to  6ave  sinners,"  sinners  without  any 
exception — nay,  even  the  very  "chief"  of  sinners.  And  if, 
when  you  get  home,  you  will,  look  at  the  references  marked 
opposite  to  these  passages,  you  will  find  many  more  to  the 
ae  effect. 


Ann.  I  wish  I  could  believe  all  youJiave  been  saying.  But 
my  heart  is  so  hard  and  sinful. 

Mies  P.  Then  pray  to  God  as  David  did:  "Create  !n  me  a 
clean  heart,  0  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me/' 
And  do  not  say,  "I  wish  I  could  believe;"  but  say,  "Lord,  I 
believe  ;  help  thou  my  unbelief."  Make  up  your  mind  that 
what  God  says,  he  means'  and  that  there  is*  no  hinderance 
in  the  way  of  your  coming  to  him  except  in  yourself.  Just 
believe  that  for  Jesus  Christ's  sake  he  is  willing  to  forgive  ' 
all  your  sins,  and  to  treat  you  as  his  own  dear  child. 

Ann.  But  how  can  I  believe  that  God  will  look  upon  me  as 
a  dear  child,  when  I  am  so  vile  and  sinful  ? 

Miss  P.  Will  he  not  do  it  for  Christ's  sake?  It  is  true 
that  you  are  sinful,  but  then  think  of  the  infinite  merits  of 
our  divine  Redeemer,  and  how  well  pleased  the  Father  is  with 
him.  It  is  not  your  righteousness  that  satisfies  divine  jus- 
tice, but  the  righteousness  of  Christ.  It  is  in  Christ  that 
God  is  reconciled  unto  us,  not  imputing  our  transgressions  to 
us.  2  Cor.  |6  :  19.  I  am  afraid,  my  dear,  that  in  truth  pride 
and  self  righteousness   are   keeping  you    away  from   Christ. 

Ann.  Pride  and  self-righteousness!     Oh  no]!  no! 

Miss  P.  Are  you  so  sure  of  that?  Examine  yourself,  and 
I  think  you  will  find  a  reluctance  to  come  to  the  Saviour  just 
as  you  are  :  that  is,  as  a  very  helpless,  wicked  creature.  You 
would  like  to  put  on  a  better  dress,  before  you  venture  to  his 
footstool  to  ask  for  pardon.  But  by  entertaining  such  a . 
thought,  you  put  a  slight  on  the  dress  which  Christ  has  pro- 
vided for  you.  You  make  it  appear  as  if  the  filthy  rags  of 
your  own  righteousness  were  better  in  your  esteem,  than  the 
spotless  robe  of  Christ's  righteousness*.  And  if  this  is  not 
pride  and  self-righteousness,  I  do  not  know  what  to   call  it. 

Ann  seemed  struck  by  this  new  thought. 

Miss  P.  The  f  ct  is,  you  think  too  much  about  your  sins, 
and  about  yourself,  and  too  little  about  Jesus  Christ.  You 
stand  still,  cherishing  your  own  conviction  of  unworthiness, 
and  thinking  yourself  very  humble  and  contrite;  almost,  in- 
deed, making  a  merit  of  your  contrition  and  humility,  while 
irv  repJity  you  are  so  proud,  that  you  will  not  look  to  the 


6 

meek  and  lowly  Jesus,  who  is  offering  to  take  all  your  sins 
upon  himself,  and  to  clotho  you  with  nis  own  justifying  right- 
eousness. Don't  think  me  unkind  because  I  speak  plainly 
to  you,  and  tell  you  that  in  refusing  to  roll  your  burden  upon 
Jesus  and  to  trust  him  with  your  soul,  when  it  is  manifest 
that  there  is  no  other  w  ay  of  salvation  open  to  you,  you  are 
really  indulging  pride  and  self-righteousness,  more  than  it 
you  were  to  declare  outright  that  you  hope  to  merit  heaven 
by  your  own  good  works.  You  act  as  though  you  thought 
that  Jesus  oners  to  do  more  than  he  can  perform,  and  that 
sooner  than  trust  him  alone  for  salvation,  you  would  prefer 
to  stand  still  and  be  lost. 

A nx.  Is  it  possible  that  I  have  treated  Jesus,  the  loving 
Jcus,  like  this?     And  will  he  ever  forgive  me? 

Miss  P.  Yes,  he  will.  Peter  denied  him,  yet  Peter  was 
forgiven.  The  dying  thief  reviled  him,  yet  he  was  not  re- 
jected when  he  afterwards  sued  for  mercy.  Saul  of  Tarsus 
Eersecuted  him,  and  yet  afterwards  he  was  favored  with  the 
ighest  tokens  of  Ins  Saviour's  love. 

Ann.  But  none  of  these  were  half  so  bad  as  I  am. 

Miss  P.  Do  you  know  who  it  was  that  said,  "Whosoever 
shall  speak  a  word  against  the  Son  of  man,  it  shall  be  for- 
given him  V*     You  have  no  reason  to  despair. 

Ann.  1  wish  I  could  have  made  up  my  mind  sooner,  to  talk 
to  you  about  these  things.  I  don't  believe  anybody  has  felt 
so  miserable  as  I  have  iho  last  few  weeks. 

Miss  P.  I  once  felt  the  same  doubts  and  difficulties  which 
have  tried  you  so  sorely.  And  let  me  tell  you  of  another 
error  I  fell  into,  which,  unless  I  mistake,  has  been  leading 
you  also  arstray.  I  knew  that  Jesus  Christ  had  died  to  save 
sinners,  and  I  fancied  that  by  giving  my  assent  to  this  fact, 
and  feeling  sorry  for  my  Bins,  I  had  done  all  that  was  neces- 
sary to  secure  salvation.  But  as,  with  all  this,  I  had  never 
really  trusted  Jesus  with  my  soul,  never  cast  my  sins  by  a  simple 
living  faith  upon  him,  it  is  scarcely  to  be  wondered  at  that  I 
could  not  find  any  assurance  that  my  sins  were  forgiven. 
Indeed,  ray  distress  seemed  to  increase  every  day;  and  often 
I  used  to  cry  out  with  bitter  tears,  "0  <3od,   I   do  believe   in 


Christ ;  I  do  repent  of  my  sins.  Why  then  am  I  not  happier  ? 
What  must  I  still  do  to  obtain  peace  and  pardon  ?"  At  length 
a  faithful  minister  one  day  ;  aid  to  me,  "You  think  you  are 
believing,  on  Christ;  but  you  are  trying  to  make  faith  and  re- 
pentance  your  saviour.  You  are  not  trusting  to  Jesus  alone  for 
pardon."  Then  a  new  light  seemed  to  flash  in  upon  me, 
and  I  was  enabled  to  see  the  mistake  I  had  made.  I  saw  that 
in  fact  I  was  refusing  to  come  to  the  Redeemer  as  sinful,  pol- 
luted and  vile,  and  was  expecting  to  be  saved  for  the  sake 
ol  my  own  repenting  and  believing;  whereas  God  was  willing 
to  pardon  me  only  for  the  sake  of  his  Son's  sacrifice.  And 
it  was  not  until  I  had  renounced  this  error  that  I  obtained 
peace      Does  my  case  at  all  resemble  yours? 

Ann.  I  should  never  have  thought  that  you  had  gone 
through  all  these  troubles.  And  I  never  imagined  before 
that  there  could  be  such  a  mistake  as  making  faith  and  re- 
pentance a  saviour,  instead  of  Jesus  Christ,  But  I  begin  to 
see  what  has  been  at  the  bottom  of  my  distress;  I  have  really 
been  indulging  in  self-righteousness,  when  I  fancied  that  1 
was  altogether  fee  from  it.     I  do  think  there  is  hope  for  me. 

Miss  P.  I  am  truly  glad  to  hear  you  say  so.  But  do  not 
forget  that  the  only  sate  hope  is  that  which  is  founded  upon 
Jesus,  and  his  perfect  righteousness  ;  which  rests  simply  upon 
the  atonement  offered  by  the  Saviour,  without  any  merit  or 
ground  of  acceptance  being  claimed  from  your  own  faith,  or 
your  own  repentance,  or  any  thing  else  that  is  yours. 

Ann.  I  will  try  to  trust  in  Jesus.  I  do  feel  that  nothing 
of  my  own  can  purchase  for  me  pardon  from  God;  but  that 
the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin. 

Miss  P.  If  you  come  to  the  cross  humbly  and  penitently, 
there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  God's  forgiveness,  and  you  may 
say  as  Paul  did,  "There  is  therefore  now  no  condemnation 
to  th<em  which  are  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  walk  not  after  the 
flesh,  but  after  the  Spirit.  For  the  law  of  the  Spirit  of  life 
in  Christ  Jesus  hath  made  me  free  from  the-law  of  sin  and 
death."     Rom.  8:  2. 

Ann.  Can  it  indeed  be  true  that  Jesus  has  saved  me? 

Mrss  P.  God's  Holy  Spirit,  by  renewing  your  heart,    will 


bear  witnea  ir  spirit   whether  you   are   in  reality   a 

child  i  »nly  trust  in  Christ  and  follow  him,  and  you 

■ur.     God  bless  you,  and  give  you  the  8^ 
ance  that  you  are  reconciled  to  him   through    his  Sou,    and 
that  all  your  .sins  have  been  washed   away   in  the  Saviour's 
blood. 

Annt.  Good  night,  dear  Miss  P ,  and  many,  many  thanks 

for  all  your  kindness  to  i 

Miss  P.  Rather,  thank  God  for  his  mercy.  It  is  he  who 
has  done  this  for  you,  and  it  is  he  who  must  keep  you  to  the 
end.     May  his  grace  ever  be  with  you.     Farewell. 


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